The road to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship is officially underway, with regional fields locked in following a flurry of conference championships. Six regional sites will host the nation’s top teams and individuals from May 6–8 as they vie for spots at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, for nationals.
Here’s a site-by-site breakdown of what to watch as teams tee it up for their shot at collegiate golf glory:
Norman Regional (Jimmie Austin OU GC, Oklahoma)
Top seed Stanford headlines this region, though their placement was a surprise given the distance from their campus. Still, the top-ranked Cardinal have won 10 straight stroke-play events. Host Oklahoma, seeded sixth, is aiming for its first nationals berth since 2018. Duke enters vulnerable, having slipped seven spots in the rankings and struggling at ACCs. Tulsa, led by first-year coach Mike Roters, is surging after an American Athletic Conference title, and Baylor just squeaked in with a .500 record.
Columbus Regional (Ohio State University GC)
Ohio State feels right at home on the Scarlet course, having won three straight events there. Arkansas is the top seed but faltered at SECs. Kansas and Houston aim to make history with rare (or first-time) national appearances. Watch out for Illinois, riding momentum with three straight top-three finishes. Kent State, third at a spring event on this track, is another mid-major threat.
Lexington Regional (Keene Trace GC, Kentucky)
Florida State, fresh off its first-ever ACC title, leads a balanced field. USC, the second seed, has been hindered by injuries and inconsistency. TCU is one of the spring’s hottest teams, while Kansas State is eyeing its first nationals trip. Louisville may benefit from a home-course feel, and Western Kentucky makes its regional debut behind standout Catie Craig.
Charlottesville Regional (Birdwood GC, Virginia)
South Carolina enters with momentum after its first SEC title in over two decades. Virginia, the home team, is peaking with three straight runner-up finishes. Florida hasn’t advanced through regionals since 2019, and UCLA barely made the cut after a difficult season. BYU, the last team in, is looking for its first NCAA Championship berth since 2016.
Gold Canyon Regional (Superstition Mountain G&CC, Arizona State)
With Stanford out of the region, it’s wide open. Oregon, the Big Ten champ, stays close to home but may be short-handed. Arizona State, playing a familiar course, is dangerous. Auburn, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma State round out a deep middle tier. California, a semifinalist at ACCs, could be a dark horse.
Lubbock Regional (The Rawls Course, Texas Tech)
Texas is the top seed and thrives in the wind expected in Lubbock. Wake Forest, fresh off upsetting Stanford in the ACCs, is back in national title form. Arizona surged late to win Big 12s under first-year coach Giovana Maymon. Texas A&M and Iowa State will need to find consistency to advance. Regional host Texas Tech features individual qualifier Klara Hurtova but did not qualify as a team.
Looking Ahead With only the top five teams and top individual (not on an advancing team) from each regional moving on, the stakes are sky-high. Top seeds like Stanford, Florida State, and Texas are favored to cruise through, but historically, upsets abound in regionals. Duke, USC, and Arizona State may have the most to prove, while Cinderella stories like Tulsa and Kansas State are worth watching.Nationals begin May 17.
Men’s Conference Championships wrap up next week, keep everyone posted on the teams and individuals moving on to Regionals!
Photo Credit: NCAA